Butternut soup with cinnamon and coconut sprinkle

Let the fragrant spicy scent of cinnamon evoke happy memories.

Serves: 6-8
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

• 80ml butter
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1kg butternut, cubed
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 2 star anise
• 1 stick of lemon grass, bruised
• 1-2 dried chillies (optional)
• 850ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 125ml coconut milk, or dairy cream

Cinnamon and coconut sprinkle
• 50ml flaked coconut
• 30ml chopped cashew nuts
• 3ml ground cinnamon
• pinch of dried crushed chillies

1 Heat the butter and add the onions. Sauté until soft. Add the butternut, apple, spices, lemon grass, chillies (if using) and half of the stock. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes, until tender.
2 Remove the whole spices. Purée the mixture in a liquidiser until smooth. Return to the pan and add the remaining stock, coconut milk or cream. Season to taste. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat.
3 Mix all the sprinkle ingredients together. Serve the soup with the sprinkle on top.